The Report
by JA Baker
Summary: Rainbow-6 x-over General Hammond receives a report on O’Neill and Carter, and the President sends two men to evaluate the SGC Finished BETA
1. The Report

**Pairing:** Jack/Sam  
**Feedback:** Creative Criticism welcomed, flames cheerfully ignored.  
**Disclaimers:** If I owned it, I'd not be writing fan-fiction now would I.  
**Spoilers:** SG-1 up to the end of Series-5, Clancy up to Bear and the Dragon.

**The Report, part 1: The Report**

General Hammond picked up the piece of paper sitting on the desk before him and started to read:

_To: Major-General G. S. Hammond, commander, SGC.  
__From: Dr Paul Spencer, base psychiatrist  
__Subject: Investigation into relationship between Col. J. O'Neill and Maj. S. Carter.  
__Classification: Eye's only._

_As you requested, I have continued to monitor the two members of your command who where subject to the Zatarc investigation, and after reviewing the security camera footage of the interview carried out by Anise of the Tok'ra, I have kept them under close observation in such a way that they are seemingly unaware of my actions. I have, as you also requested, kept the only copy of the security video in a secure location._

_It is my belief that the long-standing tension between these two officers started as Col. O'Neill's resentment of Maj. Carter's addition to his team against his wishes, but has since changed, into first a strong friendship, and now into much stronger feelings that could be considered in breach of USAF regulations._

_However, having reviewed their files and physiological reports, it is my opinion that both Col. O'Neill and Maj. Carter are more than capable of dealing with their feelings for each other, and have proved their willingness to put the ongoing mission of the SGC ahead of any personal ambitions for the future._

_The recent regrettable loss of Dr. Jackson affected both of them considerably, but they have taken to different ways of dealing with it:_

_Col. Neill appears to be falling back on to the traditional 'macho' way of coping with his loss by ignoring how he feels when in public, and only in privet dealing with his grief. Having reviewed his record, I believe that this is an automatic defense on his part: in his previous units any sign of weakness would have been met with ridicule from his comrades, regardless of who they felt. Although the Colonel's actions are not necessarily the best way of dealing with the loss of Dr. Jackson, I do not believe that they are signs of anything other than grief at the loss of a comrade and friend._

_Maj. Carter seems much more open in dealing with her feelings, and I believe this to be due more to her lack of front-line service than to, as other have speculated, her sex. Although it is true that Maj. Carter has seen action before her posting to the SGC, this is limited to the relatively 'clean' world of being an electronics warfare officer on-board an AWAC's aircraft, rather than a combat role. Where as Col. O'Neill saw Dr. Jackson as a comrade, Maj. Carter's feelings for him where more like that of a sister for her brother. I believe this to be due to her strained relationship with her real brother, and the slight feeling of abandonment she has felt since her farther, Gen Jacob Carter, joined the Tok'ra._

_Maj. Carter sees Col. O'Neill's seeming lack of grief as a sign that he lacks feelings. Although this misunderstanding is a problem for the time being, I do not believe that it will continue much longer._

_In conclusion I do not believe that the relationship between these two officers is in anyway a threat to ether base security or mission objectivity. Maj. Carter is seemingly unwilling to make the first move, where as Col. O'Neill is unwilling to risk Maj. Carter's career by instigating anything._

_End of report._

Hammond sighed: out of all the generals in the Air Force, why did he get this job?

He picked up the phone next to his desk, "Get me the President."

**TBC…**


	2. The President’s men

**The Report, part 2**

Hammond waited patiently for the call to go through, trying to workout the best way to say what he wanted to say: President Ryan was a fair man, but well known for sticking to the rules. Well, most of the time: Hammond had read the stories in the press about Ryan's time in the CIA, and some of the things he was said to have done made even O'Neill record look normal.

The phone connected at the other end, and Hammond found himself jumping to his feet without even thinking about it, "Yes Sir. No Sir, there's no emergency as such, but there is a slight problem that I feel I need to make you aware of." He sighed, "Yes Sir, it does involve Col. O'Neill. Sir, I think it would be easier if I faxed you a copy of a report I just received from our base physiatrist."

Hammond fed the report into the secure fax link, and sat quietly while the President quickly scanned the same report he had read only minutes before, "Yes Sir, SG-1 are still on down-time while we try and find a replacement for Dr Jackson. Well sir, I think that Jonas Quinn, the young man who was exiled here by the people of P2S-4C3 would make a suitable replacement."

Hammond jumped to his feet, "No Sir, I was not aware of Senator Kinsey's report to the Senate Appropriations Committee! Yes Sir, I understand the need to gain advanced technology from off-world sources, by the means employed by the NID risked our alliance with the Asgard." Hammond stood in silence for a moment, "Yes Sir, I understand. Are you sure that you can find two officers who will be able to conduct the survey in an impartial manner? No Sir, I do not believe I have met ether of them. Yes Sir, I'll have the base VIP quarters made ready for their arrival, and I'll send Col. O'Neill and Maj. Carter to meet them at the airbase in two days. Thank you Sir. Good-day."

Putting the phone down, Hammond activated the intercom on his desk, "Lieutenant, page SG-1 and Mr. Quinn to my office." He had just locked Dr. Spencer's report into his safe when there was a knock at the door. "Enter." He replied automatically, not even looking round. SG-1 made their way in, followed by a confused Jonas Quinn.

"You wanted to see us, Sir?" O'Neill stood before the General's desk, his hands in his pockets.

Hammond sighed: he had long ago given up any hope of his second in command ever acting ether his rank or age, and ignored his little idiosyncrasies. Most of the time, that was. "Sit down, all of you. Mr. Quinn, I am making you a probationary member of SG-1." The young man's eyes lit up with delight, but Hammond raised a hand to silence him when he went to respond, "Senator Kinsey has been raising questions about our track record for gaining advanced technology from off-world to use in this planets defense. He has used his position to put pressure on the President to have our standing orders changed." The secure fax hummed, and spat out two sheets of paper, which Hammond picked up and glanced at, "The President has agreed to send to officers with no links to The Stargate Project to report back on a typical off-world mission."

O'Neill rolled his eyes, "You telling us that we're going to have to baby-sit two Pentagon drones?"

"According to this, the two officers in question are more than capable of looking after themselves." Hammond smiled as he read the fax's, "Brigadier General John Clark, and Major Domingo Chavez. They are currently part of a NATO counter-terrorist unit based out of England, and are over here for a joint training session with the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team. The President is sending them down here to see how we do things."

**To Be Continued…**


	3. The Untouchables

**The Report, part 3**

O'Neill looked at the fax, "Clark. That names rings a bell, but I can't quite place it." He looked up at Hammond, "I don't suppose there is anyway we could get a look at there files is there?"

"I'm afraid that will not be possible: while you all have high security clearance, there are something's that you are not allowed to know." The General shook his head, "Both General Clark and Major Chavez are former CIA operatives."

"That's where I know the name John Clark from: He used to work for Bob Ritter." O'Neill snapped his fingers, "He was mentioned in passing when the Agency tried to recruit me once, back in the 80's."

Carter looked up, "Operation Reciprocity, the Columbian thing." The others turned to look at her, and she blushed, "A report into it came across my desk when I was working at the Pentagon: President Bennett and NSA James Cutter arranged their own little war, and a man referred to as Clark ran the combat side of things from Panama."

"When that all came out in the papers and on TV you said you where as shocked as the rest of us!" O'Neill looked at her.

Carter shrugged, "I was surprised it came out: I only saw it because I had to spend a week working in the Special Operations department before I could get access to the Stargate files."

Hammond nodded, "Well, they should be here in two days, so I want you and Col. O'Neill to meet them at the academy airfield and escort them here. Dismissed."

* * *

_USAF Transport aircraft, somewhere over northern Missouri, two days later…_

Major Domingo 'Ding' Chavez leaned back in his chair, "I'm telling you Mr. C, this is the strangest thing I've ever hared of! Ancient metal rings, travel to other worlds, aliens! It's like that show Wormhole X-treme! from the Sci-Fi Channel."

"Ding my boy, you watch too much TV." General John Clark smiled, "All we have to do is have a look round, take a quick trip through the gate to somewhere else, then come back and tell Kinsey to shove his revised standing orders up his ass, or at least, the President will."

Clark's mobile rang. He looked at the display, "Talk of the devil." He pressed the receive button, "Hello Senator. May I ask how you got this number? Yes I'm sure that your sectary could easily find my number, but the one listed is false and would put you through to a voice-mail service: this direct line is restricted. To the best of my knowledge only 10 people know it, and I doubt that any of them would give it to you. No, Senator, I do not believe that President Ryan would give you this number. Because he wants this inspection to be as impartial as possible, that's why."

Clark sat bolt upright, "Listen Senator, I don't take kindly to such thinly veiled threats, and the last group of people who tried to do that ended up ether dead on in the deepest, darkest, hole the British government could find, never to see the light of day again." Ding looked round and went to say something, but Clark held up a hand to stop him, "No Senator, you can't order me to do anything: all orders have to come down the chain of command, and right now I only have to answer to the man at the very top. I recommend you get one of your NID toads to get you my CIA file, and you read it carefully before you talk to me again." With that he hung-up.

Ding turned to look at his mentor, "You sure that was a good idea?"

"He thinks he can intimidate me into telling the President that the SGC isn't doing its job, and that NID should take over. Anyway, I can handle the good Senator: he's not stupid enough to attack the base back in England." Clark leaned back in his chair and went to sleep.

**To Be Continued…**


	4. A meeting of like minds

**The Report, part 4**

Carter couldn't help but giggle at the faces O'Neill made as he tried, unsuccessfully, to sit quietly in the Academy airfield's VIP waiting-room: his seldom-used dress uniform looked quite out of place on his rugged frame, and his cap was tilted to far back and kept falling off.

O'Neill looked over at Carter, deliberately keeping his eyes raised so as not to look at how she looked in a dress, and scowled, "Something funny, Major?"

Carter put her hand over her mouth to stop herself laughing, "No, Sir, nothing at all."

"This is why I joined Special Forces: you never have to wear dress uniform."

"Well, from what I've read about General Clark, he's the same."

"From what you've read?"

"I contacted a few of my friends back at the Pentagon and had them send me a copy of his file."

"Hand it over." Carter open her briefcase and handed over a file holder, which O'Neill opened and looked at first sheet of paper inside, "Let's see: John Terrance Clark, born in Indianapolis, 1944, joined the Navy just after he turned 18. Served 6 years, Vietnam, a SEAL: Underwater Demolitions Expert. He received the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat 'V' and 2 clusters, Purple Heart with 2 clusters! Left with the rank of Chief Petty Officer. Spends some time as a free-lance diver, then joins the CIA, and completely drops off the radar screen until he starts up this 'Rainbow' unit three years ago." He looked over at Carter, "How did a former Chief Petty Officer, even one as highly-decorated as Clark, end up a Brigadier General?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Carter pointed out the window: The plan had just landed.

O'Neill and Carter straitened their uniforms and walked outside to where the Gulf Stream-V jet sat. The front hatch popped open, and a pair of airman rolled set of mobile steppes into place, and then came sharply to attention. The first man to step out had the dark skin complexion and square jaw that betrayed a Latin heritage. His neatly pressed olive-green uniform contrasted sharply with the dull gray of the airplane. Both O'Neill and Carter immediately pegged him as Chavez. He scanned the surrounding, pursing slightly when his view fell on the two Air Force Officers, then he turned to say something before walking down the steps and waiting at the bottom.

The second officer to exit the plane looked even more uncomfortable in his uniform than O'Neill. His may have looked old, but O'Neill saw something in the man's eyes that he immediately recognized: John Clark was a warrior, a man who had spent his entire life in the service of his country.

O'Neill smiled: he liked the man already.

Clark stared walking across towards the two blue-dressed officers waiting for him, Ding following a few steps behind and just to the right. O'Neill noticed that Chavez's eyes never stopped moving, always scanning, looking for danger. This, he decided, was someone who had learnt the hard way that things where never as they seem.

O'Neill and Carter came to attention as Clark and Chavez reached them, "General Clark sir, General Hammond sends his regards, and apologizes for not being able to meet you himself." O'Neill kept his expression neutral as he gave his rehearsed-speech, waiting to see how Clark would react.

To his credit, Clark managed to keep a straight face throughout O'Neill's greeting, then smiled slightly, "So it has nothing to do with his wanting the leader of the team we are here to evaluate to get a chance to give us a look-over before we reach the base?"

"I would never presume to second-guess the Generals motives, sir." O'Neill smiled slightly.

Clark, smiled, motioning Chavez to step forward, "This is Major Domingo Chavez, leader of Rainbow Team 2. Anything you need to tell me about the Stargate project you can say in front of him: President Ryan has given us both full clearances to examine your mission reports. We even had a look at a few on the way here. Ding here says it sounds like a TV-show he watches, Wormhole X-treme! I think it's called."

"Yes, that's kind of a funny story actually really." Carter smiled slightly, "You see there was this…"

O'Neill held up a hand to silence her, "I don't think we need to go into that at this time, do you Major?"

"No sir, we don't." Carter nodded.

O'Neill smiled, "Well, General, Major, If you would follow us, we have rooms ready for you back at the base."

With that he led them towards the waiting staff-car.

**To Be Continued…**


	5. The SGC

**The Report, part 5**

The staff car drove the four officers back to Cheyenne Mountain, and into the underground facility know to the outside world as NORAD. O'Neill led the way to the fist set of elevators, and they descended down into the depth of the base. They got out at the bottom of the first elevator shaft, and O'Neill led the way through the security checkpoint into the SGC itself. Clark and Chavez where impressed by the set-up, but felt it strange to see so many scientists walking around.

Carter recognized their confusion, "Most of our teams are off-world at the moment, so it's mainly the technical and support staff right now."

"It must take a lot of brainpower to run a place like this." Clark nodded.

"Well I wouldn't know anything about that sir." O'Neill smiled.

"This from a man with degrees in political science and astronomy." Clark raised an eyebrow.

Carter looked at her commanding officer, shocked.

O'Neill shrugged, embarrassed that someone had seen through his carefully constructed mask of ignorance, "Hey, I had to take the political science bit at the academy when I was doing OCS, and the astronomy's more of a hobby..."

Carter shook her head, "But all those times when you acted like you didn't know what you where doing?"

O'Neill looked increasingly uncomfortable, "The Arabs have a saying: Never tell anyone anything they don't ask."

Clark decided to save O'Neill any further embarrassment, and changed the topic, "Is it possible for us to see the Stargate?"

Carter nodded, and led the way to the control room.

Chavez whistled when he saw the Stargate through the bulletproof glass, "And you say that this thing was found in Egypt?"

"Yes, by a dig near the pyramids near Giza." Carter nodded, "It took years to work out what it was and how it worked."

Clark leaned forwards, "No wonder: doesn't look like much, certainly not like a device for space travel."

O'Neill nodded, trying to suppress memories of the first Abydos mission, "We better go; General Hammond is waiting."

Hammond was sat as his desk when the intercom sounded, "General, Col. O'Neill and Maj. Carter have returned with the two officers from the Pentagon."

Standing, Hammond pressed the send button, "Show them in."

The door opened, and O'Neill stepped thought, followed closely by a tall man in a Army Generals uniform, one star attached to his shoulder. An Army Major followed right behind him, and Carter brought up the rear. Hammond saluted, and then held out his hand, "General Clark, an honour to meet you."

Clark returned the salute, and then shook the offered hand, "Like wise, and please, call me John."

"Only if you call me George." Hammond smiled, "Please, take a seat. What can we do to help you?"

Clark smiled, sitting down across the desk from the SGC commander, "Well, to put it bluntly, we need proof that you are doing a good job so that President Ryan can tell Senator Kinsey where to get off."

O'Neill smiled, but his joy was short lived when the alarms started going off, "Unscheduled off world activation!" Followed shortly by, "Receiving Tok'ra GDO signal." Without saying a word, he stood and led the way to the control room.

**To Be Continued…**


	6. Rescue mission

**The Report, part 6**

Clark and Chavez where taken aback to see the Stargate in operation: the shimmering blue vortex mesmerized them, but they where snapped back to reality when an attractive young woman stepped through.

O'Neill took one look at who it was and started banging his head ageist the wall.

"Is something wrong Colonel?" Clark looked at him.

"The Tok'ra who has just arrived is Anise." Teal'c smiled slightly, "Her host, Freya, has strong feelings for Colonel O'Neill, that he does not reciprocate."

"Sir, is it too late to put in for some leave?" O'Neill turned to Hammond.

"Sorry son, but we all have to make sacrifices for the greater good." The General smiled, "We best go see what she wants."

SG-1 led the way down to the embarkation room, O'Neill trying to hide behind Clark and Chavez, and failing miserably.

Freya smiled when she saw him, "Hello Jack, it has been to long."

Hammond fixed his second in command with an icy stare, forcing him to remain civil, "And it's good to see you to Freya, you too Anise. So, what brings the two of you to our neck of the universe?"

Freya's eye glowed, "I am afraid that I bring bad news: Jacob Carter has been captured by forces led by Osiris. We fear that they will tortured him for the information Selmak holds about our intelligence operations within Anubis' domain."

"Sir, we have to launch a rescue mission!" Carter turned to Hammond,

Hammond nodded, "I understand your concern for your fathers safety, but there is no way we would be able to get clearance for such a mission in time."

Clark raised a hand, "I could."

* * *

"Yes I understand the risks. Yes, Ding and I are fully prepared for that. Jack, I've been doing this sort of thing since you where in high school, try and remember that. Shouldn't take more than a day or two. Well it's not like I've never done something like this before. No, it's nothing like Columbia. Well, for one thing, I won't have to watch your back. Ok, I'll put him on." Clark handed the phone over to Hammond, "He wants to talk to you." 

O'Neill was in shock, "That's the President you where talking to, the President of the United States, our President, the man I voted for!"

"Him and Mr. C go way back." Ding smiled.

"I've tried calling him Mr. President, but he's very insistent that I call him Jack." Clark shrugged.

Hammond put the phone down, "The mission is a go, one the conditions is that General Clark and Major Chavez go with you."

"With all due respect, this is not the sort of mission they are used to." O'Neill raised a hand, "We are talking about going deep under cover in a hostile environment, surrounded by people that would kill us without a second glance."

Clark looked at the other man, "Tell me, Colonel, did you see the TV reports about the death of Mahmound Daryaei two years ago in Tehran?"

"I saw someone dropped a couple of Laser-Guided Bombs on him." O'Neill nodded.

"Who do you think manned the spotting laser and video camera?" Ding grinned.

**To Be Continued.**


	7. One Step Beyond

**The Report, part 7**

Ding was impressed by the size of the SGC's armory, but less so by the lack of choice, "Why can't I take one of those MP5's over there?"

"No, those are Intars, Goa'uld training weapons." Carter shook her head, "They look like the real thing, but they only stun."

"Really?" Ding raised and eyebrow, "Have to see about getting a few of them for Rainbow: we've had complaints about our kill/capture ratio. So anyway, what can I take?"

Carter handed him a stocky looking weapon, "P90 5.7mm sub-machine gun. Single shot or full auto, 50-round internal magazine, 900 rpm, effective range of 200-meters."

"Bit heavier than the MP5/10, and the grip's different." Ding lifted the gun, "Is their somewhere I can squeeze off a few rounds?" Carter nodded, pointing to a door across the room, "There's a firing range through there." She took the P90 back in inserted a loaded magazine, "Rounds fall down rather than to the side, so don't be confused if they fall against your leg."

Ding nodded, walking across the room and through the door into the armory. He took up position in the first stall, carefully put the ear protectors on, and raised his weapon, pointing at the target at the far end. He sighted down the P90's small telescopic sight, and then gently squeezed the trigger. The first round when straight through the Q-ring, as did the second and third. Ding looked at his weapon for a moment, found the trigger group selector, flipped it to full-auto, and took aim.

Carter was surprised when the next burst of fire cored out the center of the target's 'chest', followed by a second, shorter, burst that decapitated the target, dropping cutout to the floor, "Impressive."

"I try." Ding smiled.

"He's very trying at times." Clark said from the doorway, "But I've learnt to put up with him." He walked over to Ding, who handed over the P90 and ear protectors.

"Let's see how good you are, Pops."

"I've told you not to call me that!" Clark growled.

"What every you say Mr. C." Ding grinned.

Clark shook his head as he took aim at a second target, and demolished it as quickly as his subordinate had. He looked at the P90, "Not bad, but you'd have to make sure what you were aiming at if you fired it in a built-up area."

* * *

O'Neill, Jonas, Teal'c and Anise/Freya stood waiting in the embarkation room, the Tok'ra looking rather uncomfortable in BDU's, "Jack, is it really necessary for me to dress like this, or carry a weapon?"

"Well Freya, you insisted on coming on this mission." O'Neill smiled, "And it's only a Zat; not like we're asking you to carry Teal'c's staff-weapon."

The former Jaffa nodded, his Death-glider cannon hanging over his shoulder by its strap, "Indeed, many Goa'uld do not even consider the zat'nika'tel to be a true weapon."

Carter walked through the doorway, followed by Clark and Chavez, "Ready to go sir?"

O'Neill nodded, "Oh, we where just discussing Goa'uld battlefield fashion."

The Stargate started to spin as General Hammond's voice came over the intercom, "Good luck people; let's bring our man home." The final chevron clinked into place, activating the wormhole.

The seven members of the rescue team walked up the ram towards the gate. Clark looked at the event horizon, "Anything specific we should do before we, well, what ever you call it?"

O'Neill smiled, "Take a deep breath; your first reaction on the other side is always to breath out."

Clark and Chavez nodded, following the others through.

**To Be Continued…**


	8. Brave new worlds

**The Report, part 8**

The gate spat them out at the other end.

"So this is another planet?" Clark looked round, "Looks like Canada.

"Man I feel cold!" Chavez shivered.

Carter nodded, "Don't worry, you'll get over it."

"We must hurry before someone comes to investigate." Freya looked round.

O'Neill nodded, "Ok; Teal'c, take point. Carter, you got our back. Rest of you with me." He looked at Clark, "If that's ok with you, sir."

"It's your mission Colonel; we're just hear to observe." Cark nodded, "Although, I might suggest Ding goes with Teal'c: he's an accomplished scout."

O'Neill nodded, and the Hispanic Major moved up ahead with the former Jaffa.

The trail through the woods led them through an area covered with low hills, forcing them to take extra care on blind corners. At one point, Chavez raised his hand, and motioned to the side of the road. Every one dived into the undergrowth as a pair of Death-Gliders passed overhead.

O'Neill watched them as they headed towards the Stargate, "They must have been sent to see what was going on. We must be close to Osiris' base. Talk about someone I'd rather not meet again."

Clark looked over, "I take it she doesn't like you."

"The host, Sarah Gardner, was an old friend of Daniel Jackson. She was taken when she opened a jar containing Osiris: he'd been locked away by another Goa'uld named Seth, and left on Earth for thousands of years, kept in a kind of suspended animation. Isis, his consort died, but Osiris was able to get to a ship buried in Egypt and escaped. Daniel felt like it was his fault, but he was never to know."

Clark was about to respond when the air was filled by the crack of a discharging staff-weapon, followed by the louder boom of Teal'c' cannon, and the low rattle of Chavez's P90.

O'Neill turned to the General, "Keep an eye on Freya. Carter, Jonas, with me!" He ran forward, the other two members of SG1 following close behind.

Clark pushed Freya back into the bushes as the sound of battle increased, keeping her behind him as he raised his own P90. He looked at the Tok'ra, and then at her Zat, "You know how to use that thing?"

"Theoretically, yes." Freya nodded.

Clark pulled it from its holster and handed it to her, "Then theoretically watch out for anyone approaching from behind."

* * *

Chavez was laid flat on his chest, his P90 held tight against his shoulder as he carefully took aim at the next Jaffa, and he fired a burst of SS190 steel jacketed rounds, killing the other man instantly. He vaguely took notice as Carter landed beside him, her own P90 rattling of a long stream of rounds, knocking two Jaffa down, but mainly hitting thin air. Three more here catapulted through the air by a blast from the cannon Teal'c had taken from a crashed Death-glider on P7S-441.

They appeared to be winning the fight, but one of the Jaffa managed to throw a shock grenade, and it landed next to O'Neill. He tried to dive out of the way, but it went off before he could shout a waning, rendering the five of them unconscious.

* * *

Clark was hopeful when the firing stopped, but this ended when the deep voices of the Jaffa carried round the corner. He tentatively took a step forwards, but a pair of Jaffa rounded the corner, staff weapons out and ready. Clark instinctively pulled the trigger on his P90, downing the two men in a hail of bullets. He ran back as the sound of running feet and angry voices filled the air. He grabbed Freya's arm and ran into the woods, trying to put as much distance between them and the enemy as possible.

Energy blasts from several staff weapons shot past them, impacting against the tress that shielded their escape. Clark saw a dark shape fly through the air towards them, and his instincts screamed grenade. He pushed Freya through a clump of bushes and into thin air above a ravine as the grenade went off.

**To Be Continued…**


	9. Flash Bang

**The Report, part 9**

Clark felt the ground disappear beneath him as the grenade detonated, the shockwave knocking him out.

* * *

O'Neill woke with a start, his head aching. He sat bolt upright and kicked back with his legs, propelling himself to the wall behind him. The uneven stonework was typical of Goa'uld prison cells, something he was an unwilling expert on. He was still blind from the effect shock grenade.

"Is every one else here?" he asked, his voice croaking from thirst.

"I am here Colonel O'Neill." Teal'c's voice came from the darkness, "As are Majors Carter and Chavez and Jonas Quinn. Of General Clark or Freya, there is no sign."

"Well, maybe they got back to the gate. Can you see?"

"Indeed it has; my symbiote has healed my injuries. The others do not appear to be in need of medical attention."

O'Neill nodded, his eyesight improving slightly to the point where he could just about make out light and dark shapes, "You know, I think those shock grenade's are loosing their effectiveness: I swear my vision is clearing faster than last time."

"You have been unconscious for several hours." Teal'c sounded non-phased, "You where snoring loudly."

"I snore?"

"Indeed you do; we have not brought it to your attention before because you are not as loud as Major Carter."

"Carter snores?"

The cell door opened before Teal'c could respond, to armed Jaffa stepping through, staff weapons ready, followed by two more dragging Jacob Carter between them. They unceremoniously dumped him on the floor before backing out, keeping O'Neill and Teal'c covered with their staff weapons. O'Neill smiled, "One could get the impression that they are scared of us." He crawled over to Jacob, "Hey, Jacob, Selmak, either of you home?"

"Jack?" Jacob blinked, "Now what in the hell are you doing here?"

"We were set to rescue you."

"Well, you're not doing a good job so far."

* * *

"General Clark, are you ok?" The voice sounded distant, like it was being heard from underwater. Clark fixed on the voice, forcing himself to consciousness. He woke, his face resting against a smooth stone surface. Freya was looking down at him, her face full of concern, "General?"

Clark coughed, spiting out water. His body started to respond to his brain, and he realized he was soaking wet. He brought himself up to his hands and knees, "What happened? Last thing I remember was running through the wood, someone throwing a grenade at us, then falling."

"There was a ravine with a river at the bottom. You where lucky that you shielded me from the effects of the shock grenade, or we both would have drowned."

Clark nodded, looking around; they had come to rest on a series of boulders in a bend in the river, surrounded by trees that gave them cover from above. His P90 was still attached to his webbing, but water dripped from the muzzle, and he wasn't sure how water proof it was. His 9mm Beretta was still in its holster, and his pack was still over his back. He stood, his back aching, "I am to old for this shit."

**To Be Continued…**


	10. Snake

**The Report, part 10**

Clark started to make his way along the riverbank, looking for a way back up to the path. Freya followed closely behind, "We must get to the Stargate and return to Earth as fast as we can." Clark kept walking, his eyes scanning the tree line. Freya hurried to keep up, "I mean; there is nothing we can do for the others."

"You can do what you want." Clark looked over his shoulder, "I'm not going to leave anyone behind."

* * *

Carter, Jonas and Chavez where still out cold when the cell door opened again, Jaffa guards stepping through, staff weapons ready. O'Neill winced as a familiar figure stood in the doorway, "Osiris, long time no see. How's life treating you, being a false god and all?" 

"_Much better than it is treating you._" The woman's eyes glowed,"_I hear that Anubis himself will conduct your interrogation. I do hope he will allow me to watch_."

"What's the matter," O'Neill smiled, "can't get a date?"

Osiris stepped forward, a Fire Stick in her hand. She jammed it hard into O'Neill's ribs, and despite his best efforts, he screamed out loud, waking Carter, Jonas and Chavez. Osiris smiled, "_Samantha Carter, it is good to see you again. We didn't have a chance to talk back on Adara. I am looking forward to continuing our discussion_." She looked at Jonas and Chavez, "_You two I don't know: identify yourselves_!"

"I'm Bob Hope, he's Bing Crosby: we were on the Road to Bali, got a little lost on the way." Chavez smiled, "Don't suppose you got a map about you?"

O'Neill couldn't help but laugh, earning himself another jab from the Fire Stick. Osiris span round, slapping Chavez across the face with the torture device, knocking him to the ground. She glared at Jonas, "_Your name_!"

"Bing, Bing Crosby." The young man smiled weekly.

His body convulsed as Osiris stabbed him with the Fire Stick.

Osiris stalked back into her throne room, stopping shot next to her First Prime, "What news of the two who escaped?"

The Jaffa came sharply to attention, "We have been unable to locate them, but we know they have not returned to the Chaapa'ai, we have guards posted should they attempt to contact the Tauri home world."

"Send out more patrols, every warrior we can spare: we can not risk the damage they could do." Osiris' eye glowed brightly, "The equipment you took from the Tauri, bring it to me."

* * *

Clark had finally found a place where he could climb back up to the top of the ravine, when his radio squawked. He tentatively picked it up, "Hello?" 

"_Hello, who do I have the pleasure of addressing_?" A Woman's voice came over the other end.

Freya's eyes went wide, and Anise took over, "_Osiris_!"

Clark smiled, lifting the radio to his lips, "You can call me Snake. So, Osiris, you don't mind if I call you Osiris? How are you doing?"

"_Better than your friends are_." The voice on the radio was calm, "_I suppose I should tell you that we have the Chaapa'ai guarded, and you have no way to contact your people_."

Clark looked at Anise, "Chaapa'ai?"

She grimaced, "_The Stargate_."

Osiris' voice came back over the radio, "If you surrender to my Jaffa now, I will spare your life, and those of your friends, for now."

"No thanks; I'm having to much fun. Be seeing you real soon." Clark turned the radio off, and turned to Anise, "Ok, here is the plan: we keep moving, getting them off-balance and spread out, then we try and sneak into their base and rescue the others."

"_What can the two of us do against the garrison_?"

"You'd be surprised. Trust me: I used to do this for a living."

**To Be Continued…**


	11. Unrequited love

**The Report, part 11**

Freya struggled to keep up with Clark, "Do you really believe you can rescue the others?"

"No." Clark shrugged, "But I have to try…

* * *

"So," Jacob sat against the wall, "who's idea was this 'rescue mission' to start with?"

"That would be me Dad." Carter smiled weekly.

Jacob shook his head, "Sam, you should have known better than to try something like that; Osiris all but told me she was waiting for you to try and rescue me." He nodded at Chavez and Jonas, "What's with Bing and Bob over there?"

O'Neill sighed, "Bing is Daniel replacement, while Bob was one of two officers sent to evaluate the SGC by President Ryan."

"Why's he doing that?" Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"Because Senator Kinsey's been making trouble again." Carter sighed, "That said, if not for the inspection, we'd never have gotten the go-ahead for this mission."

Jacob nodded, "Who told you I'd been captured?"

O'Neill laughed, "Anise; she even insisted on coming with us."

Jacob's eye went wide, "Why? She's an archaeologist, not a soldier!"

* * *

Clark span round, "You're a what?"

"_I am a archaeologist_…" Anise lowered her eyes.

Clark raised his eye to the sky, as if seeking divine intervention, "If you're an archaeologist, why did you insist on coming on this mission?"

The light in the woman's eyes dimmed, signifying it was Freya who was now in control, "I've heard many stories about SG-1's exploits, and I wanted to experience one for myself."

"And you wanted to spend some time with Colonel O'Neill, didn't you."

"I know he doesn't feel the same for me as I do for him, but I can't help the way I feel."

"The unrequited love's a bitch, isn't it?"

Freya fell into his arms sobbing. Clark was completely at a loss with what to do: It had been a long time since he'd had to comfort a crying woman, probably not since his daughters had grown up. He tentatively patted her on the back, "I think I know a way to get them out."

* * *

Jacob had started to pace back and forwards, "You said that there where two officers sent to evaluate the SGC; what happened to the other one?"

"I told him to keep an eye of Freya." Jack shrugged, "Hopefully they made it back to the Stargate."

"If there was a way, Mr. C would have found it." Chavez nodded.

The cell door busted open, two Jaffa entering, Zat's drawn, followed by a very angry Osiris, "_Who is the man you know as Snake_?"

"Isn't he the guy Kurt Russell played in Escape from New York?" O'Neill blinked.

The joke earned him a stab with the fire stick, effectively dropping him to the ground. Osiris turned on Chavez and Jonas, "_You two I don't know, your not SGC, and so the chances are one of you knows who this stranger is. One of you can tell me, and live, and the other can die_."

Chavez's face was set like stone, and Jonas was doing a good job at hiding his fears. The fire stick flicked between the two of them, never making contact, but the threat was there. Osiris ran the tip of the fire stick up around Chavez's chin, stopping it just before his eyes, "_You, tell me_."

"Go to hell, bitch." The young man gritted his teeth.

"_Wrong choice_." Osiris smiled, opening her other hand to reveal a ribbon device.

She was just about to use it when the ground shook, followed by the sound of a powerful explosion.

**To Be Continued…**


	12. Fun & Games

**The Report, part 12**

Osiris was thrown to the ground, landing on the ground near O'Neill. He tried to grab the fallen fire stick, but one of the Jaffa saw him, and hit him with a blast from his Zat.

"_What was that_? " Osiris pulled herself to her feet, her eyes glowing brightly with rage.

Jonas looked round, "Felt and sounded like an explosion."

Osiris scowled at him, looked like she was about to say something, but instead stalked off, followed by the two Jaffa. Chavez sat against the wall, smiling.

* * *

Clark was laid out just behind the crest of a ridge, examining the Goa'uld base through a set of compact field glasses. He watched as a group of Jaffa warrior in full battle dress ran out of the front gate towards a rising plume of smoke that had, until recently, been a listening post. He looked at his watch, "Another ten minutes, and the next charge goes off. Then we should get a call from your old friend Osiris."

"Osiris is not my friend." Freya looked at him.

"It's a figure of speech. What I mean is, she'll want to talk to us again."

"What will that accomplish?"

"We have to get her off balance and keep her guessing: Her forces outnumber us, but we're more mobile. They have greater numbers, but that makes it harder for them to hide. They have to guard everything, but we only strike at what we want. Like I said, I've done this before."

* * *

The next explosion caught Osiris as she went to sit on her throne, almost sending her to the ground. She ran to the nearest window and looked out: smoke was rising in the direction of the aquaduct that brought water into the base from the distant mountains. She almost ran back to the table at the side of her throne, grabbing the radio she had used earlier, "_Is this your doing_?"

"Why if it isn't the fair Osiris." Clark laughed, "And how is the god of the underworld today?" The insult was carefully aimed to infuriate the Goa'uld.

It worked.

"_You listen to me, human, my forces will hunt you down, and you will suffer the most painful death imaginable_." Osiris shot to her feet, "_And then I will use a sarcophagus to bring you back just so I can kill you again_."

"And I thought we where getting on so well. Look's like I'm going to have to punish you."

The third explosion was much closer, and Osiris felt the building shake. Cries of pain and surprise filled the air as she ran back to the window; an area of wall had collapsed on a Jaffa barracks. She brought the radio to her lips, "_You think you can beat me like this_?"

"I don't have to beat you to win Osiris; right now some of your Jaffa will be wondering why their god can't stop these attacks. Some of them will wonder if you are a god after all. If one lowly human can do so much without reprisal, why should they worship you?"

Freya smiled; that last insult had been her idea.

Osiris crushed the radio, frowning at the remains on the ground. She turned to face one of the Jaffa "_Have the transport made ready; we are leaving for the Chaapa'ai with the prisoners at once. We will send back reinforcements to hunt down this human, this 'Snake'_."

Clark scanned the compound and saw two Jaffa making their way over to a Goa'uld ship. He handed the field glasses to Freya, "Can you fly that thing?"

* * *

A group of Jaffa entered the cell, pulling SG-1 and the others to their feet and herding them down a corridor. O'Neill looked at the others, "Is it me, or do they look nervous?" A staff weapon slammed into the back of his head.

"Silence!" the Jaffa commanded.

Osiris stood on an area of grass, a Teltac cargo-ship floating in the air above her. O'Neill looked around at the devastation Clark's bombs had wrought, "Redecorating? 'Cause I love what you've done with the place."

Osiris' eyes narrowed, "_Enjoy it while you can; soon you will be before Anubis, and you will beg for death_."

"Sounds like my devoice." O'Neill smiled.

A set of transportation rings came down from the Teltac, surrounding the group. Osiris activated the control on her armband, sending them up to the ship. She blinked, the business end of a P90 inches away from her face.

"Hi." Clark smiled.

**To Be Continued…**


	13. Exit stage left

**The Report, part 13**

The Jaffa went for their guns, but Clark was faster, "Drop 'um or I drop her; your choice."

The Jaffa looked at Osiris, who swallowed, "_Do as he says_."

The four warriors did as she said, their Staff weapons and Zat's falling to the deck, where they were retrieved by SG-1. Once they had the Jaffa covered, Clark handed his P90 to Chavez and drew his Beretta, pointing it Osiris' head.

He motioned her to the side, "Move, now." Osiris moved, leaving the four un-armed Jaffa the only people standing in the ring-transporter. The rings lifted out of the deck, and with a flash, they were gone.

"I'll take that if you don't mind." Carter reached out and grabbed the hand device from Osiris.

"Who's flying this thing anyway?" O'Neill looked round.

"Hello Jack." Freya's face appeared round the side of the pilots seat. The ship jerked to the side, almost throwing everyone off their feet, except Clark, who kept his gun on Osiris.

"I think it would be better if Teal'c took over." O'Neill regained his balance.

"Indeed it would, Colonel O'Neill." The taller man nodded.

Freya reluctantly surrendered the controls, muttering under her breath as to how she was just getting the hang of it.

O'Neill pulled Jacob over next to Clark, "General Clark, this is General Jacob Carter, formally of the Air Force, but now of the Tok'ra; his symbiote is called Selmak. He is also Major Carter's father. Jacob, this is General John Clark, formerly of the CIA, but now head of an anti-terrorist team. Bob Hope over there is his assistant, Major Domingo Chavez."

"Nice to meet you." Clark shook Jacob's hand.

"Like wise." The Tok'ra nodded, "So your former agency: did you know Jim Greer?"

Clark nodded, "Admiral Greer was one of the men who recruited me, back in the 70's." He turned to Chavez, "Bob Hope?"

"Long story, I'll explain later." The younger man smiled.

"What is our planed destination?" Teal'c asked from the controls.

"Well, as this ship was meant to take Osiris here to the Stargate, it'd be a pity to disappoint her." Clark smiled.

"Not every day we get escorted back home." O'Neill grinned.

Chavez undid one of his boots and used the lace to bind Osiris' hands.

Clark pulled O'Neill and Jacob off to the side, "What do we do with our friend over there? We try and take her with us, leave her behind, or what?"

Jacob's eyes glowed, "_I take it that by 'or what' you mean kill her_?"

O'Neill nodded, "Yes Selmak, he means kill her." He turned back to Clark, "I'd rather not do that if it can be avoided sir; for one, you have to remember that Sarah Gardner is an American citizen who was taken against her will. We have a duty to protect her."

"I know, and I'll do my best, but not at the expense of anyone else's life." Clark nodded, "So it comes down to two options: take or leave?"

"_It would be very dangerous to take Osiris_." Selmak stated, "_She is Anubis' second in command, and he would want to retrieve her. As he is still outside the control of the System Lords he could attack your world without fear of reprisal from the Asgard_."

"So it's leave." Clark nodded, "Ok, We'll keep her with us until it comes time to go through the Stargate, then cut her lose."

O'Neill nodded, "Sounds like a plan." He raised an eyebrow, "Where did you get the explosives you used back there?"

"Your friend Freya has a near encyclopedically knowledge of Goa'uld equipment, including explosives and timers." Clark smiled.

O'Neill looked at the Tok'ra archaeologist with newfound respect.

"We are approaching the Chaapa'ai." Teal'c called from the cockpit.

"Ok, set us to hover just in front of it, near the DHD." O'Neill nodded, "General, if you'd be kind enough to keep an eye on Osiris."

Clark nodded, grabbing the Goa'uld by the arm, his Beretta against the side of her head, "Give me any trouble and you're dead."

"_You will pay dearly for this_!" Osiris glared at him.

"That's what they all say, and I'm still here." Clark smiled.

Teal'c expertly brought the Teltac into position above the Stargate, the Jaffa below paying them scant attention. They moved to the center of the ring-transporter, and in a flash of light, where on the ground. One of the Jaffa spotted them, but the sight of Osiris with a gun to her head stopped them cold.

O'Neill let out the breath he'd been holding, "Carter, dial us out."

The blond Major nodded, quickly making her way to the DHD and typing in the address for the gate at the SGC. The Stargate shook as the inner track rotated, the chevron's locking into place one by one. The Stargate activated with its customary whoosh, and O'Neill sent the recognition code from his GDO. The green conformation light flashed, indicating that the iris was open at the other end, "Ok kids, time to go." Jonas went through first, followed by Jacob and Freya.

O'Neill ushered Carter, Chavez and Teal'c through, then turned to Clark, "Ready?"

"On 3." The other man nodded, his gun pressed against the back of Osiris' head, "1… 2… 3… Now!"

Pushing Osiris forward, Clark and O'Neill dived through the Stargate.

**To Be Continued…**


	14. Past sins

**The Report, part 14: Past Sins**

They hit the embarkation ramp with a thump, shaking the entire structure. The iris slid shut, but not before a staff weapon blast shot through, leaving a smoking crater just to the left of the control room window.

"Little trigger happy, weren't they." O'Neill looked at it and winced.

There was the hollow sound of a couple of objects hitting the iris, and then the wormhole disengaged.

"What happened?" General Hammond walked in.

"The usual; got ambushed, captured and rescued." O'Neill smiled, "But we did bring Jacob back."

Hammond looked at Clark, who simply smiled, "It was just as the Colonel said. Oh, and I did get these." He lifted the pack from his back and opened it, revealing a selection of Zat's and shock grenades.

"Nice!" O'Neill whistled, "Where'd you get them from?"

"Let's just say their previous owner won't miss them." Clark smiled slightly.

Dr. Fraiser walked in, "Ok, Infirmary, the lot of you."

O'Neill's face fell, "Can't you give us a chance to relax a little for once?"

Hammond shook his head, "You heard the Doctor Colonel; Infirmary."

Dejected, O'Neill led the way.

"So how was it?" Hammond fell into step beside Clark.

"Just like old times." The other General smiled.

* * *

After Dr. Fraiser had finished prodding and poking them, General Hammond ordered the returned team to take the night off before debriefing the next day.

"You think they'll let us back into O'Malley's?" O'Neill looked at Carter and Teal'c.

"I have not been banned." Teal'c' face was unmoving.

O'Neill smiled sarcastically, "Smart ass." He turned to Clark and Chavez, "Would you care to join us?"

"Sure." Clark nodded.

O'Neill looked round, doing a head count, "Ok; Carter, you take Teal'c and Jonas in your car, the General and Major Chavez can come with me."

Carter nodded, leading the way towards the locker rooms so the could all get changed into something a little less suspicious then BDU's.

"General Clark." Freya was waiting for them when they came out, "I just wanted to thank you; I would never have survived if not for your help and guidance."

"Don't be so hard on yourself; you have more strength in you than you give yourself credit for." Clark smiled warmly.

"Thank you." Freya smiled back, "Maybe I will be able to go on another mission in the future. Goodbye." The Tok'ra turned and headed to the gate room.

"You've created a monster…" O'Neill shook his head.

* * *

O'Neill's drove his SUV down the road leading from the base to the town, Clark sitting next to him, with Chavez in the back. The car rounded a corner, a police roadblock coming into view.

"Now what's all this about?" O'Neill raised an eyebrow. He brought the car to a stop, and was surprised when the officers manning the barricade pointed their guns at them, "What the hell?"

"_John Kelly, this is Chief Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard; exit the vehicle with your hands in the air, and walk slowly towards us_." A voice ordered over a loud hailer. O'Neill was confused, and looked to Clark for answers.

The others mans face was flat, resigned. He unbuckled his seatbelt and went to open his door.

"What the hell do you think your doing John?" Chavez went to stop him.

"This isn't your fight Ding." Clark looked at him, "Call Dan Murray, but don't, under any circumstances, involve the President; the last thing he needs is a scandal."

O'Neill watched, jaw agape, as Clark got out of the car, and slowly walk towards the awaiting Marshals. They had him lay on the ground while they handcuffed him, then put him in the back of the cruiser.

**To Be Continued...**


	15. Power games

**The Report, part 15**

O'Neill watched as the flashing lights from the police cars disappeared off into the darkness. A low rumble of a powerful engine and the sound of tires braking on gravel heralded the arrival of Carter, Teal'c and Jonas.

"What happened to General Clark?" The blond major looked round.

"That's a very good question Carter." O'Neill turned to Chavez, "Care to fill us in Major Chavez, if that is your real name?"

Chavez looked at O'Neill, his eyes burning with anger, "Don't start with me, sir; I am not in the mood." Spinning on his heels, the Hispanic officer walked back to the SUV and pulled Clark's cell-phone from inside. He looked through the various numbers stored in its memory till he found the one he needed. He pressed the send button and held it to his ear, "I need to speak to Director Murray. Tell him its Domingo Chavez."

There was silence for a moment, SG1 looking at the young man, surprised at his tone of voice. He suddenly looked up, "Dan. No sir, I'm fine, but John's been arrested. No sir, they arrested him under the name Kelly. Yes sir I know that, I was there when the President told him. No sir, he specifically told me to keep him out of this. The U.S. Marshal's office, a Chief Deputy called Samuel Gerard. No, they had the state police with them. Ok, I'll stand by." Chavez hung up.

"And that was?" O'Neill looked at him.

"Dan Murray, Director of the FBI." Chavez put the phone in his pocket.

"And all that stuff about the name Kelly?" Carter was confused.

Chavez leaned against the side of the SUV, "John, General Clark, was born John Kelly. I don't know the full story, only bit's I've picked up over the years, but something happened back in the 70's, a year or two after he came back from 'Nam for the first time. There was a woman, someone John had just met, and she was killed by a group of drug dealers she'd been working as a mule for. They did some real sick shit to her before she died. John kind of snapped: He'd lost his first wife about 18-mounths before."

Chavez bended his knees until he was sitting on the road, leaning back against the wheel, "He went a little crazy, and went after them, one by one. There was some stuff about the Navy wanting him to do a mission in North Vietnam. He took the mission, but by that time the detective assigned to investigate the death of the drug dealers was closing in, so John made the CIA a deal: he'd go to work for them, and they'd help him fake his death."

"Is this common within your government?" Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

"More common then you'd think." Chavez laughed nervously, "Mr. C was quite the operative in his time: he was the CIA's iceman for 30-years."

"Iceman?" Jonas was confused,

"Assassin." O'Neill nodded, "So what happened next?"

"When President Durling asked Doc. Ryan to become Vice-President he said yes, on one condition; Durling was to give John Kelly a full presidential pardon. When he died when the Capital building was hit, the Doc did it himself. I was there when he told John." Chavez's voice was slowly deteriorating into its East-LA street kid origins.

The mobile rang; Chavez quickly stood and pulled it from his pocket, "Chavez. Hi Ed. WHAT!" Chavez let lose with a string of curses, some in English, some is Spanish, some in a league that was probably made up on the spot.

O'Neill raised an eyebrow: he was impressed by the young man's imagination.

Chavez took a deep breath to calm down, "What should I do? Ok. No, John said not to involve the President. Well go ahead, but you know that John will be angry with you. Ok. Bye." Chavez put the phone down and let slip a second string of oaths, to fast for the others to keep track of, but name 'Kinsey' mentioned at lest twice.

"I take it the good Senator's been up to his usual power games?" O'Neill raised an eyebrow.

"If I ever get my hands on him!" Chavez kicked out at the SUV's tire.

O'Neill carefully placed a hand on the Major's shoulder, "Look, Carter will take you down to the station so you keep an eye on things down there, I'll head back to the base and tell Hammond. Maybe he can do something."

Chavez nodded, fallowing Carter over to her car.

**To Be Continued…**


	16. The plot thickens

**The Report, part 16**

Carter glanced at Chavez as she drove, "The General means a lot to you, doesn't he?"

"He's like a farther to me." Chavez nodded, "In fact, he is; I'm married to his daughter."

"So you've known his a while?"

"Since Columbia; I was just a solider back then, but Mr. C says he saw something in me, and I got transferred to Langley. Swapped my BDU's for a suit."

"What's it like, working for the Agency?"

"Long periods of boredom, interrupted by periods of people trying to kill me. Apart from Columbia, I've been to Africa after some tin-pot dictator. We arrested the guy behind the Denver nuke. We were in Japan during the War. Tehran, guiding the bombs in on Daryaei. With Rainbow I've been all around Europe, Australia, even Brazil. We were in Russia when the China thing begun, got caught up in that. Most of what we did is classified, and I'm not proud of all of it."

The car pulled up in front of the Police station, Chavez barely waiting for it to stop before he jumped out of the door, running to the doorway. The officer behind the desk took one look at the angry man before him, and started to reach for the panic alarm.

"My name is Major Domingo Chavez." Chavez laid his hands on the desk and took a deep breath, "You have my superior officer here. I want to see him."

"Do you have any ID?" The officer nodded, his hand resting over the panic button.

Chavez slowly reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it and removed his military pass.

The desk officer looked at the photo, then at Chavez, "If you like to take a seat, I'll call the Sergeant."

Chavez nodded, walking over to the cracked leather sofa pushed against one wall, clenching and releasing his fists in an effort to remain calm. Carter walked through the doors and sat next to Chavez, "So?"

"Have to wait for the sergeant." His mobile went off, "Chavez. Oh hi Sandy. No, I'm afraid he's a little busy right now. I'll tell him you phoned. Love to Patsy and Little John. Ok, bye." He hung-up and buried his head in his hands, "I'm a dead man…"

"Who was that?" Carter raised an eyebrow.

"John's wife…"

A side door opened and a man in a Colorado State Police Sergeants uniform stepped out, followed by Chief Deputy Marshal Gerard.

"Where is General Clark?" Chavez stood.

"Now you just calm down." Gerard looked at the younger man, "There is some confusion at the moment as to just who we have in the cells. His ID names him as John Clark, but I have a federal warrant naming him as John Kelly. The fingerprints on the warrant match his, but when I had the FBI fax me the prints from Kelly's file, they didn't."

"That's because he's not John Kelly, he's John Clark." Chavez looked at the Federal Marshal.

"I beg to disagree." A voice called from the doorway. Carter, Chavez, Gerard and the Sergeant turned to see a tall man in an expensive looking suit. He pulled an ID from his pocked, "Agent Goodman; National Intelligence Directorate. Marshal Gerard, the man you are holding is wanted for breach of National Security." He pulled a piece of paper from his pocked, "I have here an order from the Colorado Attorney General, ordering you to release him into my custody."

Gerard took the document and scanned it, then handed it over to the Sergeant, who nodded, "Look's in order."

Chavez went to grab the NID agent, but Carter stopped him, "Calm down Ding; getting yourself arrested wont help the General."

"**THIS IS BULLSHIT!**" Chavez's eyes were full of anger.

Gerard looked at the young Major, "Any more language like that out of you young man, and I will have Sergeant Jackson here arrest you for breach of the peace." He turned to Agent Goodman, "Until the matter of just who I have in custody is cleared up, no-one is going anywhere."

Chavez's mobile went off, and he pulled it to his ear, "Chavez." His eyes went wide, "Yes sir, he's right here." He handed the phone to Gerard, "He wants to speak to you."

Gerard looked at the hone, then held it to his ear, "This is Chief Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard; whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"_Do you recognize my voice, Deputy Gerard_?" The voice on the other end was calm.

"Yes Sir Mr. President." The Marshal's face fell.

**To Be Continued…**


	17. A free man

**The Report, part 17**

Time seemed to stand still: Carter's jaw slowly dropped, her eyes wide. The colour drained from Agent Goodman's face. Deputy Gerard looked like a deer in headlights. Sergeant Jackson looked confused. A thin smile crept across Chavez's lips.

"_Good_." President Ryan continued, "_Then this should be easier: you should be receiving a fax any moment now. I want you to read it and carefully note the signature. While you are doing that, I would like to talk to Major Chavez_." Gerard handed the phone back before reaching across the desk to grab the sheet of paper that the fax machine had just spat out.

"Sir." Chavez held the phone to his ear.

"_How'd the mission go_?" The man on the other end sounded relaxed.

"We got him back; it was touch and go for a while, but it worked out in the end. Sir, we have an NID agent here with a warrant for John's arrest for breach of National Security."

"_Yes, Kinsey thinks he can out-maneuver me. I don't think he realizes how well respected John is. As soon as John is free, I want you to come back to Washington. Bring the NID agent with you_."

"Yes sir."

Gerard returned, fax in hand, "Sergeant Jackson, would you please go and release General Clark."

The State Trooper nodded, disappearing back trough the door he had come through.

"Now just a minute; he's my prisoner…" Agent Goodman raised a hand to object.

"Don't play games with me boy, I don't like it!" Gerard's eyes narrowed, and he handed over the fax, "John Kelly was awarded a full Presidential Pardon three years ago."

Sergeant Jackson returned, followed by Clark. The General reached for Chavez's phone, lifting it to his ear, "Sir, I specifically didn't want to involve you in this."

"_John, you've known me to long to think that I wouldn't find out about something like this_." The President laughed, "_Anyway, I've wanted something I could use to nail Kinsey's hide to the wall with for a long time, and he's just handed it to me. I want you and Ding back in DC as fast as you can. I'll see you then_."

"Goodbye sir." Clark put the phone down, then turned to Agent Goodman, "And you are?"

"This here is your friendly local NID agent; he'll be coming with us back to DC, Presidents personal invitation." Chavez smiled as he looked at his superior, "What we going to do about Kinsey?"

"We leave that one up to the boss." Clark smiled.

The main door opened, admitting a flustered General Hammond, and a slightly miffed Colonel O'Neill.

"Are you ok?" Hammond looked at Clark.

"I'm fine, just a little mix up." Clark nodded, "We'll be needing a plane to take us back to DC: NID Agent Goodman has some explaining to do."

* * *

"This has been a long day." O'Neill sank into the both seat at O'Malley's.

"It has been no longer than any other day on this planet." Teal'c looked at him, his hat pulled down over his tattoo,

O'Neill shook his head, "You really need to work on that sarcasm T, 'cause you've still got a lot to learn."

"So," Carter took a swig from her beer, "what do you thinks going to happen to Senator Kinsey?"

"Won't he be arrested?" Jonas looked round.

"In a perfect world, yes, but he has to much influence for that." O'Neill shook his head, "He'll probably get a slap on the wrist."

Carter shrugged, "I don't know: Major Chavez was very upset, and I don't think General Clark is the forgiving kind."

O'Neill smiled, "What ever happens, Kinsey isn't going to end up as our new boss."

**To Be Continued…**


	18. Making changes

**The Report, part 18**

SG1 walked back through the Stargate after what had to have been the dullest mission they had ever been sent on. The planet had been nice; warm tropical beaches, rainforest, no dangerous life forms, no Goa'uld, no Tok'ra, no Asgard, no nothing. It was in fact, a nice place.

But without the continuous threat of death or capture, SG1 had grown bored, and O'Neill decided to call it a day and head home.

They were surprised to see General Clark waiting at the bottom of the ramp for them, his dress uniform switched for an expensive looking suit, "Enjoy your trip?"

O'Neill shrugged, "Dull doesn't even begin to describe it; I'm worried that we're turning into action junkies."

"I know the feeling." Clark chuckled, "Anyways, you've got to come with me."

Carter looked at O'Neill, her eyebrow raised, but he just motioned for her to follow the General.

* * *

Two men dressed in suits stood guard outside the briefing room, the earpieces and Secret Service pins raising more than one raised eyebrow from SG1, especially when one of them respectfully opened the door for General Clark. Hammond was seated in his usual place at the end of the table, a third Secret Service agent, this one a woman, standing against the wall behind him. Chavez was seated on Hammond's right, his glaring eyes fixed on the chair opposite; Senator Kinsey, who looked rather uncomfortable, dabbed at his brow with a handkerchief. The end chair span round, startling SG1. O'Neill and Carter saluted automatically, Teal'c and Jonas straitening their backs.

"Please, relax: If anything, I should be saluting you." President Ryan smiled, "Please, sit down." Dazed, SG1 did as instructed, Clark sitting next to Chavez, his young prodigy barley moving, his eyes still fixed on Kinsey. Ryan arched his fingers, "I'm afraid we'll have to keep this short; I'm meant to be visiting a high school this afternoon, and the press get curious when I spend to long in military installations; Bob Holtzman is on the press team this trip, and I don't want to give him anything to dig into. I swear the man's part ferret."

He leaned forward, "Senator Kinsey has decided to step down from the Senate Appropriations Committee; he wants to spend more time with his family. I have also asked FBI Director Murray to launch an official investigation into the National Intelligence Directorate."

O'Neill's eyes moved to Kinsey; the Senator was looking increasingly uncomfortable, his eyes darting about, refusing to meet Chavez's.

The President smiled, "I have also signed a Presidential order making the SGC an independent entity within the United States military. All your ranks will be transferred over, but a new code of conduct will be drawn up." He looked out of the widow overlooking the embarkation room, "You know, I really would like to go through that someday." Carter saw the Secret Service agent's eyes go wide. Ryan laughed, "Relax Andrea; I don't mean today."

The head of the President's protection detail relaxed, but her eyes showed she was not amused.

Ryan stood, as did everyone else, "Right, well, it was nice to meet you all, but we'd better be off. Senator." Kinsey nodded, making for the door. The President looked round the table, "General, Colonel, Major, Gentlemen." The last comment was directed at Teal'c and Jonas; the former Jaffa nodding respectfully. The Secret Service agent followed POTUS from the room, closing the door behind them.

Clark pulled a folder from the pile in front him, "This is the first draft of the new Code of Conduct the President mentioned." He handed the members of SG1 a copy, before passing the original to General Hammond, "It's based on the Air Force's, but with a few alterations to take into account your unique status and role in defending this planet."

"I see the Russians are getting two new teams." O'Neill looked down the page, "What they do; find the deeds to Alaska?"

"No, Sergey Golovko asked the President personally, and seeing how far back the two of them go, he couldn't refuse." Clark laughed, "Anyway, you'll also getting two English teams."

"The Britt's?" O'Neill raised an eyebrow.

Chavez smiled, "You'd be surprised at how good they are; some of the best people at Rainbow are former SAS."

"SAS?" Jonas looked up.

"22nd Special Air Serves Regiment: elite British unit." O'Neill didn't even blink, "They mainly deal with terrorists nowadays, but they wrote the book on covert operations and behind-enemy-lines operations." Everyone looked at him, making him blush, "I spent a few weeks at Hereford back in the 80's, part of an exchange scheme. They're good, real good." From O'Neill, that was high praise indeed.

Carter raised a hand, "Sir, what dose this bit about 'regulations concerning inter command relationship's now the discretion of the SGC commander' mean?"

**To Be Continued…**

Who's who (It's confusing if you've not read the books):

John 'Jack' Ryan, President of the United States of America

Bob Holtzman, reporter for the Washington Post

Special Agent Andrea Price-O'Day, head of the POTUS' personal protection detail

Dan Murray, Director of the FBI

Sergey Nikolay'ch Golovko, Chairman of the SUV (formally the KGB)


	19. Fear and Love

**The Report, part 19**

O'Neill flicked through the document until he found the corresponding page. His eyes went wide as he scanned the paragraph: "_Due to the large number of civilian personal at the SGC, inter-personal relationship's will be allowed, as long as they pose no threat to operational or planetary security…"_

Hammond leaned back in his chair, "If the rest of you don't mind, I would like to talk to Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter alone."

"Of course." Clark stood, "We have to get back home to England anyway. It was good to see you all again." Chavez followed him as he left, Jonas and Teal'c hot on their heals.

Carter looked at the door as it shut, then turned to General Hammond, "Sir, what's going on?"

"I'd like to know the answer to that one to; The Simpson's are on in two hours and I forgot to set my video." O'Neill smiled nervously

"What is the true extent of your feelings for each other?" Hammond looked at his two subordinates.

O'Neill looked like a deer stuck in headlights, "Well, you know the close friendships that are formed in small units under extreme pressure…"

Hammond waved him off, "You don't need to defend yourself son, I've known for a while." He pulled two copies of Dr Spencer's report and handed them over, "I have to say that I am impressed as to how the two of you have hidden your emotions so well over the last 6 years. I faxed a copy of this report to the President in the hopes that he would find a way to bend the rules slightly, given how many times the two of you have helped save this planet from total destruction."

Carter was confused, "So the whole reorganization, making the SGC an independent agency, was just so the two of us would be free to act on any emotion we may or may not have for each other?"

Hammond laughed, "No, that was to teach Kinsey a lesson; he may no longer be on the Senate Appropriations Committee, but he is still a Senator, and head of the NID. The new code of conduct means it is up to me to decide whether or not any inter-personnel relationships constitute a threat to the safety of this facility, and ultimately, the planet. I think I can trust the two of you." He leaned back, "You have some downtime due after your last mission. Take a few days off; think, talk, and decide if and how you want to take things. I don't want to see either of you on base until Monday at the earliest. Goa'uld attacks not withstanding."

* * *

O'Neill sat on his back porch watching the sun come up, a cup of now cold coffee held between his hands.

He was trying to think, but his mind still couldn't come to terms with what had happened the day before. He'd left the briefing room, and after getting changed, driven straight home. He'd sat on his sofa with a beer and watched The Simpson's before going to bed. He hadn't slept; he'd just lain there in bed, looking up at the ceiling. He had finally giving up on the idea of sleep as the first rays of dawn, and showered before coming out here to think.

The sound of a car pulling up on his gravel driveway brought him back to the real world, and he placed the coffee cup on the deck next to his chair. Soft footsteps making their way around the side of the house meant that it was someone he knew; none of his friends used the front door. He was surprised to see Carter round the side of the house. She stopped short when she saw him, her hair surprisingly unkempt, drifting down over her face.

"Hi." She took a tentative step forward, "I think we need to talk. About what happened, about what the General said."

"I hear the President's given him his third Star; Lieutenant General Hammond. It'll take a little getting used to."

"That's not what I meant sir."

"I think we can drop the 'Sir' part now, don't you Sam?"

"I guess so. It's just I don't think I've ever called you Jack before."

"You must have. We're avoiding to topic; you know that don't you."

"Sir, Jack, It's not easy for me; the last time I got involved with someone I worked with, it ended badly."

"I know, and it's not easy for me either; it's been a long time since I've been in a relationship."

"I suppose I felt safe with my feelings for you as I never thought they'd lead to anything. The regs always stopped it from progressing any further then just friendship. But now…"

"But now the regs have changed, and we have to suddenly deal with it all. I don't know whether to thank Hammond for arranging this, or to punch him for putting us through this." O'Neill turned to face Carter, "I love you Sam; have done so for a long time, and I don't think that's ever going to change. But I would never risk hurting you or damaging your career, you have to know that."

"I know that, and I think I love you too, but this is just all to sudden for me to take in at once." She walked over and sat next to him, "I don't know what scares me more; the idea of losing you without ever finding out how things could have gone, or finding out."

"You think to much Sam."

Carter smiled as O'Neill leaned over and kissed her.

**To Be Continued…**


	20. All's well that ends well

**The Report, part 20**

Carter closed her eyes as O'Neill's lips pressed against hers. Her had moved round to the back of his head, drawing him closer. O'Neill's hands came to rest on Carter's shoulders, gently squeezing them. Carter broke away, breathlessly resting her forehead on his, "You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that."

O'Neill smiled, looking deeply into her eyes, "I think I have a fair idea. I guess we know what to tell Hammond on Monday."

Carter grinned, "Yes, but its Saturday…"

* * *

The sound of her mobile phone going off woke Carter. She groped around on the floor until she found it. "Hello?" she asked sleepily. 

"_Hi Sam_." Dr. Fraiser sounded unnecessarily chirpy, "_I was wondering if you wanted to meet up for lunch_."

Carter looked at the clock on her phone; it was just past noon. She rubbed her eyes, "I'm kind of busy today. Rain check?"

"_Ok_." Fraiser laughed, "_See you Monday_."

Carter cut the line and dropped the phone back to the floor.

"You should turn it off." A voice suggested from the other side of the bed.

"I thought you where asleep."

O'Neill shook his head, pulling Carter back into a hug, "No, I was just enjoying having you sleep next to me. I've missed being with someone when they let all their defenses down like that."

"That is probably one of the most romantic things anyone has ever said to me."

O'Neill smiled, running his fingers through her short hair, "That is unfortunate." He looked into her deep blue eyes, "I know that this is going to complicate things, but I want to see how far this can go. I'm scared of losing you now we've finally gotten together, but I know I'll lose you for sure if I ask you to step down from SG-1."

Carter propped herself up on her elbow, "That is probably the sweetest thing I've ever heard from a man."

"Teal'c was right," O'Neill smiled, "you do snore…"

Carter grabbed one of the pillows and hit him with it.

* * *

Dr. Fraiser put the phone down and smiled, "She said, and I quote, 'I'm kind of busy today', end quote. You owe me $50." 

"I figured it'd be at least tomorrow before they got together." General Hammond shook his head, laughing as he reached for his wallet, "Trust Jack O'Neill to be unpredictable, if that's possible."

"I know Sam too well to think that she wouldn't go see him today. Plus she phoned Cassie to postpone their chess game."

"Trust a doctor to catch me with a sucker bet."

* * *

Carter and O'Neill took the brave step of arriving at the base together the following Monday. Word had already gotten round as to the change in standing orders, and they where not the only one's to have taken advantage of the new regs. 

Teal'c was his usual reserved self when they entered the briefing room, hand in hand, but Jonas was grinning so widely it looked like his face was about to split down the middle. Hammond looked at his two subordinates, "I take it you worked things out?"

O'Neill nodded, "We still have a few things to work out, but I guess you could say we're an 'item' as Cassie so eloquently put it."

"It's a bit strange, being allowed to show my emotions openly around here." Carter was slightly embarrassed.

Hammond shrugged, "Well, I can officially say that I do not perceive you to be a threat to security, so good luck to the both of you." He pulled a file from his briefcase, "Now we do have some work to do. Major; Dr McKay needs you to phone him at Area 51, something about the hyper drive on the rebuilt X-302. And as for you Colonel, we have our new SG-teams arriving from England and Moscow today. I want you to meet them at the airbase and escort them here for orientation…"

O'Neill and Carter smiled: another 'normal' day at the office.

**The End**

_Thanks to Garden Viper for beta-reading this._


End file.
